CURRENT MISSION

Enjoy each day to the fullest and see the world!

ABOUT ME

My name is Austin and I am a 23 year old recent college grad from America. I went to UC Berkeley and majored in Urban Studies. While there I met and fell in love with a beautiful French girl named Aurelie with whom I now live in Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France. I am still working (via telecommunication) for the City of Oakland back in California doing bicycle facility design. I am in France for 6 months and am incredibly excited to do some adventuring around Europe!

PHILOSOPHY

Live wild and free. I maintain that I am the happiest person that I know, and I intend to keep proving that every day. I try to look on the bright side of things and am very easily entertained. A new city and some pleasant company is really all I need to keep thoroughly interested :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am looking to stay with some people while I am traveling and me and Aurelie would be very willing to return the favor or host other people here at our apartment in Bordeaux. It is a little small but there is plenty of room for a friendly person to sleep on the extra mattress we keep here.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I stayed with a really great guy in Chicago at the end of my cross-state bicycle trip in Iowa last summer. I really could not have asked for a better introduction to couchsurfing.

Interests

Cities and Urbanism are my main interest. I love music, and I am a pretty big movie/tv fan as well. Recently I started reading the Game of Thrones books (I am on a Clash of Kings now). I am an avid cyclist and really love exploring cities from the seat of my bicycle. I also really enjoy getting to know people who have come from different upbringings (my suburban history is quite dull).

• books
• design
• environment
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• rock climbing
• history
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Margaret, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, South Park Movie, and just about everything else. I really will watch just about any movie once.
Music: The cannon of classic rock, lots of singer/songwriter stuff (I really enjoy playing guitar and singing myself, though I cannot write music at all), Counting Crows is still probably my favorite band, generally easygoing happy music.
Books: Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones), The Stand by Stephen King
TV: Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Shameless, Parks and Rec, The Office, Workaholics, Boardwalk Empire, Modern Family, Californication

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Rock climbing in Yosemite - absolutely awe inspiring.
Piloting a helicopter with no doors over the beach in SoCal.
Biking with 30,000 cyclists across the state of Iowa.
Playing in the sand at the Great Dune of Pyla in Arcachon, France.

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to think that I have a fairly broad and deep knowledge base - especially on things concerning the built environment and development (more about the American experience, but I am constantly learning more.) I would love to share and learn with anyone willing to listen :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Italy, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States